Famous rock stars from the 1970s confess that their goodbye tour was not serious.

In a recent interview with SiriusXM, Ian Gillan, the frontman of the iconic 70s rock band Deep Purple, dropped a bombshell revelation that the band has no plans of retiring anytime soon, despite their 2017 tour being aptly named The Long Goodbye. This news may come as a surprise to fans who have been following the band's journey since their formation in 1968.

Deep Purple, comprised of vocalist Rod Evans, guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, bassist Nick Simper, keyboardist Jon Lord, and drummer Ian Paice, achieved success early on with their debut album Shades of Deep Purple and a Billboard Hot 100 hit with their cover of Joe South's "Hush". However, their second album did not fare as well, and it seemed like the band's future was uncertain.

But in 1971, everything changed when they brought on new lead singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover, and shifted towards a heavier sound that solidified their place in the world of rock. Despite multiple changes in their lineup and an eight-year hiatus, Deep Purple has released 23 studio albums, with their latest one coming out in 2021, and has been hailed as one of the most influential bands of all time by Planet Rock.

In his interview with Eddie Trunk on TrunkNationSXM, Ian, who is now 79 years old, revealed that the name of their 2017 tour was actually a joke, a ploy by promoters to boost ticket sales. He explained that the emphasis was on the word "long", making it an enigmatic phrase. This statement contradicts his previous one in 2018, where he mentioned that retirement was a possibility due to health issues within the band.

However, it seems that the band has changed their minds since then, as Ian confirmed that they have plans to continue performing until at least 2026. He also mentioned that Deep Purple is notorious for making decisions, and even coming to one for the tour was a challenge. But now, the band is booked until 2026 with various projects in the works, making it clear that they are not ready to slow down anytime soon.

In 2022, guitarist Steve Morse left the band to take care of his late wife, who passed away earlier this year. He was replaced by Simon McBride, but it seems that the band is still going strong and has no intention of stopping.

Despite the initial retirement buzz, Deep Purple continues to thrive and remains a prominent figure in the music industry. This article was first published on August 26, and if you have a celebrity story or any videos or pictures, you can get in touch with the entertainment team at The Agency via email, phone, or their Submit Stuff page. They would love to hear from you.

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